The present invention relates to a braided ribbon and its fabrication method and, more particularly, to the method of fabricating a braided ribbon having a spiral pattern of stripe and a wave-like pattern of stripe.
Regular braided ribbons commonly have only one particular color. A single color braided ribbon is less attractive. Recently compound color braided ribbons have been created. These compound color braided ribbons are braided from different colors of threads. However, the pattern of the braided stripe of these compound color braided ribbons is monotonous.
The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is the main object of the present invention to provide a braided ribbon fabrication method, which is practical to fabricate braided ribbons having attractive patterns of braided stripe. It is another object of the present invention to provide braided ribbons, which have attractive patterns of braided stripe. According to the present invention, the braided ribbon fabrication method comprises the steps of (1) installing a disk-like thread guide in a braided ribbon braiding machine, the disk-like thread guide having a center through hole and a plurality of thread holes equiangularly spaced around the center through hole, (2) inserting a cord member through the center through hole of the disk-like thread guide and alternatively inserting different thickness of threads through the thread holes of the disk-like thread guide, (3) braiding the cord member and the threads into a braided ribbon, enabling the braided ribbon to be extended out of an output barrel, and (4) applying a rotary external force to the braided ribbon that extends out of the output barrel during braiding, so as to produce a pattern of braided stripe in the finished braided ribbon. In one example of the present invention, the application of the rotary external force is to twist the braided ribbon that extends out of the output barrel, so as to produce a wave-like pattern of braided stripe in the finished braided ribbon. In another example of the present invention, the application of the rotary external force is to apply a 360xc2x0 rotary force to the braided ribbon that extends out of the output barrel alternatively clockwise and counter-clockwise during braiding, so as to produce a spiral pattern of braided stripe in the finished braided ribbon. In still another example of the present invention, the application of the rotary external force is to twist the braided ribbon that extends out of the output barrel and then to apply a 360xc2x0 rotary force to the braided ribbon that extends out of the output barrel during braiding alternatively clockwise and counter-clockwise, so as to produce a wave-like pattern of braided stripe and a spiral pattern of braided stripe in the finished braided ribbon.